Mount Silliman / Alta Peak
Ascents of Mount Silliman (South Slope, class 2) and Alta Peak (Alta Peak Trail, class 1), October 6, 2023.
Timeline:
October 5, 2023: I left LA at 14:35 and encountered some traffic getting out of town. It wasn't until 19:30, after sundown, that I reached my campsite (#191) at the Lodgepole Campground. I had dinner, went to locate the nearby trailhead for the Twin Lakes Trail, and went to bed early in the back of my 4Runner.
October 6, 2023 (morning): Ascent of Mount Silliman. The alarm went off at 5:05. I had breakfast and set out on the trail at a fast clip, by headlamp, at 6:00. The climb was uneventful, but the granite slabs below Silliman Lake were wet from melt from a recent snowfall, so I had to stay on the right side of the drainage on mixed terrain. I took a break just above Silliman Lake, and reached the summit of Mount Silliman at 9:44. I was greeted by the yells of a lone coyote in the area north of the summit - but could not see the animal. The views from the summit of Silliman are outstanding, especially on a crystal clear day like this one - I could see all the way from the Ritter Range to the Kaweah Range, a huge span of the Sierra Nevada. I took numerous pictures and signed the register. I retraced my steps for the descent and was back at my car at 12:31. I drove to Wolverton where I had lunch, a cup of hot coffee, and a short nap (a 6:33 hour excursion, 5:58 hours moving, 11.63 miles, 4,447 feet of elevation gain).
October 6, 2023 (afternoon): Ascent of Alta Peak. I left the trailhead at Wolverton at 13:28, and maintained a fast pace to the trail junction between the Alta Peak trail and the trail to Alta Meadow, enjoying fantastic views from Panther Gap to this point. I slowed down a bit on the steeper portion that ascends the last 2,000 feet to the summit of Alta Peak, which I reached at 16:46 - about a quarter hour later than I had hoped. The views there too were outstanding, especially toward the peaks of the Mineral King area and of the Kaweah Range. The summit register box was lying in a puddle of water, its contents hopelessly wet. I salvaged what I could and put it in a ziploc so hopefully it will stay dry. I also propped up the ammo box with a rock so it would stay out of the water - but the whole setup probably needs to be replaced. I left the summit around 17:00. On the way down, a short distance from the summit, I saw a young bear not far from the trail. I took lots of photos and a short film of its graceful movements. On I went, enjoying the evening light on the Mineral King peaks, reaching Panther Gap at sundown. I put on my headlamp and made quick work of the last 2.7 miles, reaching the parking lot at 19:40. Then began the long drive back home, with only a quick break near Lake Kaweah for an improvised picnic dinner (a 6:12 hour excursion, 5:48 hours moving, 14.32 miles, 3,942 feet of elevation gain).
Trip totals: 12:45 hours elapsed, 11:46 hours moving, 25:95 miles, 8,389 feet of elevation gain.